WCCR workers strike over unpaid backpay

09 Aug 2018 19:00pm

WINDHOEK, 09 AUG (NAMPA)  About 140 Windhoek Country Club Resort (WCCR) employees staged a peaceful demonstration in the capital on Thursday afternoon, demanding backpay and the immediate resignation of General Manager, Tony Boucher.
Speaking on behalf of the workers, senior shopsteward, Kornelius Shiimi said they submitted a proposal for wages and conditions of employment to the resort management in October 2017.
The employees further said they did not receive their backpay for the past five months since the implementation of the N.dollars 335 salary increment that took effect on 01 March 2018.
The wages and conditions of employment started on 19 February 2017 but up to this date nothing happened, Shiimi added.
The petition that was handed over to Boucher outlined their initial demand from last year; N.dollars 800 wage increase, N.dollars 400 housing allowance and a N.dollars 700 Christmas voucher.
Subsequent to their proposal, Boucher informed the employees that the company was facing financial strain.
Speaking at the same demonstration, Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) Education Coordinator, Lister Tawana demanded that the resort avail their financial statements to the employees to show that there is no money.
If we see proof from the company statements then perhaps we will be convinced that there is no money to make payments, he stated.
Shiimi said that also demand that the company stops hiring external human resource consultants as this was costlier than employing a permanent internal practitioner.
The workers gave Boucher 48 hours to respond to their petition and for the labour commissioner to issue a certificate of unresolved dispute so workers can take industrial action.
The commissioner was approached by the union and employees in 2017, but no response has yet been issued, the protestors said.
Boucher claimed to have no statement on Thursday and thus did not address the protestors.
(NAMPA)
PA/HP/PS